Hold Congress Accountable

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Two years ago, I proffered that the federal government must cut spending. Excellent academic studies by Harvard economists and researchers at American Enterprise Institute (AEI) concluded that countries that significantly reduced spending, especially cutting government payroll and transfer payments (Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and ObamaCare), were most successful in reducing government debt and increasing prosperity. [Read: The Right Way to Balance the Budget]

Harmfully, our government did the opposite and continued spending. Over the last two years, our federal government added over $2.5 trillion to our debt. As the experts reasoned, America has a stagnate economy and debilitating unemployment. Presently, President Obama wants to increase taxes by $1.6 trillion over 10 years and continue to increase spending. According to the President, spending cuts will be considered in the future – maybe. Sadly, this is how government reacts to failure. Ignore valid research and double-down on spending and tax increases.

Veronique de Rugy of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University examined the most-recent research by the experts and pleaded, “Give spending cuts a chance.” Updated research from Harvard economists again emphasizes cuts in government payroll and reforming entitlements. In the Washington Examiner, de Rugy writes:

And in a new paper, “Design of Fiscal Adjustments," Harvard economists Alberto Alesina and Silvia Ardagna provide still more new evidence that fiscal consolidation based mostly on the spending side are more likely to lead to a permanent and long-lasting reduction in the debt-to-GDP ratio.

de Rugy explains why cutting payroll and reforming entitlements is so important. Government employees and seniors are gigantic and powerful special-interest groups, and until politicians reduce the money flowing into these special-interest predators, the size of government and debt will expand. Worse, the economy will stagnate...at best. Again, deRugy states:

... successful reforms cut in two areas: social transfers (entitlements in the American context) and the size and pay of the government workforce. If you think about it, this makes sense. These are the types of spending cuts that prove a country is serious about getting its fiscal house in order, because they take on two of the biggest special interests in any country -- government employees and seniors.

And if the country is not serious about cutting spending? By increasing spending the economy falters. deRugy cites an AEI study:

As Kevin Hassett and Andrew Biggs of the American Enterprise Institute have shown, a staggering eight of every 10 attempts by countries to reduce their debt-to-GDP ratios are failures. This means that even in a time of crisis (or especially in a time of crisis), lawmakers prefer politics over solid, pro-growth policy. Countries experiencing fiscal trouble generally get there through years of catering to interest groups and constituencies that favor spending (on both sides of the political aisle), and their fiscal adjustments tend to make too many of these same mistakes. The United States seems poised to do the same.

To the terrible detriment of the economy and American people, President Obama has pandered to the special-interest predators – especially government employees and seniors. By pleasing the likes of AFSCME and AARP, Obama has selected winning politics by ignoring excellent intellectual research and good public policy.

The problem is our government is trying to act like a bonafide business. The reality is they have absolutely no business sense and don't comply by the same rules that solvent businesses practice. The goal of the government is to regulate every aspect of the free market system. Whether it's healthcare, commodities or our home mortgages the Federal government is there to collect its dues. Utilities and the internet will soon be regulated and their will be a tax soon! Smart meters are also coming and are already in Texas. God help you if you're not compliant. The only way you can escape this madness is to go off grid and live modestly. Isn't that after all the main goal of this government to gain total control of everything including the very air that you breathe...

As James Madison said: “The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse. Yes, predators - individuals and groups - always seek to use the coercive power of government for their own benefit. Of course, this is what the Constitution attempted to thwart.

On behalf of our activist community, I urge you to contact your senators and ask them to vote NO on the Restoring Internet Freedom Order CRA Resolution of Disapproval, S.J.Res. 52. This resolution would provide for congressional disapproval of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Restoring Internet Freedom Order, which repealed burdensome Title II Internet regulations.

Congress created the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to reduce food insecurity among impoverished Americans. At the same time, Congress recognized that welfare programs must foster self-sufficiency. The Trump administration is looking for innovative solutions that improve both goals.

The bill would blatantly disregard the Budget Control Act (BCA) of 2011 that requires Congress to adhere to budget caps – This bill goes above and beyond, busting the caps by nearly $300 billion over two years, more than twice that of the past two, two-year deals combined

FreedomWorks Foundation applauds President Trump and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt on their announcement to repeal the Clean Power Plan (CPP). It is our organization’s intention to staunchly support this effort through our Regulatory Action Center, driving a grassroots campaign in support of this critical regulatory reform. FreedomWorks Foundation President Adam Brandon made the following statement:

Section 702, the controversial aspect of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) which allows for mass surveillance of American Citizens, is set to phase out at the end of 2017. Some in congress have introduced measures that would make Section 702, in its current form, permanent law and avoid any reforms which might grant Americans greater privacy protections. Here are 10 reasons why that is an absolutely horrific idea.

As Congress considers welfare reform many are quick to point out the political roadblocks facing actual progress. Although the crumbling welfare apparatus has become a focal point in recent congressional discourse due to the efforts of House conservatives within the Freedom Caucus it will still be an uphill fight to get lasting reforms pushed through at the federal level.

In Louisiana, fiscal integrity is going from bad to worse. Already, the state is facing the largest budget deficit in its entire history, at a whopping $700 million this year, and shortfall projections for next year reaching as high as $1.9 billion. However, in a misguided attempt to try to solve this behemoth of a problem, newly-elected Governor John Bel Edwards has proposed a massive package of tax hikes that affect all walks of life, from personal income to industry. What’s worse, if he has his way in imposing these hikes, the state residents could be feeling the brunt of the costs as early as April of this year. Clearly, Edwards isn’t fixing what ails the state.